


Half a World Away

by TwilightHayley



Series: NovaHD Collection [4]
Category: The Creatures (Youtube RPF)
Genre: Friendship/Love, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-25
Updated: 2016-02-25
Packaged: 2018-05-23 04:53:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6105526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TwilightHayley/pseuds/TwilightHayley
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aleks realises that he's in love with James...when he's half a world away.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Half a World Away

**Prompt: Imagine that your OTP isn’t dating yet. Both are having an into-the-night Skype session with each other, until Person A falls asleep. Person B watches their sleeping form and realizes that they can imagine themselves marrying Person A.**

**~**

Flying to Russia halfway through the preparation of his collaboration project with James wasn’t ideal, but Aleks didn’t have a choice. His grandmother was turning 80, and she’d never forgive him if he wasn’t there for her party.

But being on the opposite side of the world didn’t keep him and James apart, both committed to their work, and they talked on Skype every day.

Today was no exception.

It was just turning midday in Moscow, but for James it was late, almost 2am. Aleks had offered to postpone their Skype call so that James could get some well-deserved rest but he’d declined, too excited about their latest idea.

Aleks had rolled his eyes, chided him gently, but remained online, unable to deny James his fun.

They’d managed to get a lot organised, and there was a lapse in conversation as Aleks jotted down some ideas from the feedback that James had given him. His cow-covered folder had accompanied him to Russia, one of his most prized possessions, and he was glad to have it with him.

After the last note was written, Aleks closed his folder and placed it to one side. “Okay, that’s done.” He said, turning his attention back to his computer. “What do you—”

But he broke off abruptly when he realised that James had fallen sleep.

“Idiot.” He whispered fondly, shaking his head slightly. He was tempted to make a loud, obnoxious noise to startle his friend awake, but changed his mind when he found himself distracted by the image of James’s sleeping form.

He tapped the maximise icon in the corner of the screen, enlarging James’s video feed, allowing him to see him in more detail. He was going to take advantage of this moment, to gaze at James, something he never did. He was too scared to do it, only allowing himself small glances when he was near him, too fearful of James’s inevitable rejection if he were to find out about Aleks’s true feelings.

Keeping a distance but still retaining a close friendship was hard, but Aleks didn’t have a choice. This way, he got to have James in his life, even if it wasn’t the relationship that he truly wanted.

A flicker of movement dragged Aleks away from his thoughts, and he focused his attention back to his monitor, watching as James’s head lolled, some of his curls escaping from his beanie as it slipped to the side.

Aleks smiled; a rare smile that was only reserved for James, warmed by the sight. He wished that he was back in America, in James’s apartment, so that he could be there to wake him in person. To touch his shoulder, to brush his hair away from his forehead, to lull him to consciousness by trailing his lips across his skin until he reached the soft curve of his mouth. To curl up in bed with him so that they could begin and end each day together…to be with him…to marry him.

_Too far Aleks_.

It was never going to happen, but he couldn’t help but want it; want _him_.

Half a world away, he realised that he was in love with his best friend.

There was no panic, no distress. Aleks was too far away to feel any of those things. He was safe in Russia, protected from his feelings. He’d worry about them when he was back in James’s overwhelming presence.

But for now, as he gazed at James’s serene expression, he was content. He leaned forward to trace the outline of James’s face with his fingertip, wanting to commit his image to memory before he ended the Skype call.

Maybe one day, he’d tell James that he loved him.

Maybe James would feel the same way.

Maybe they’d never need to make a Skype call to one another ever again, because they would never want to be apart. 

That was enough to give Aleks an inkling of hope, and he took one last lingering look at James, smiling as he finally clicked the ‘end call’ button.


End file.
